


Valentine Heart

by Still_Dreamin



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Ancient Curse, Boss Louis, Death, Deep love, Fluff, Larry Stylinson Is Real, M/M, Magic, Photographer Harry, Vacation, Valentine's Day, curse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-14
Updated: 2016-02-14
Packaged: 2018-05-20 09:20:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6000628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Still_Dreamin/pseuds/Still_Dreamin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A story in which a curse prevents Harry from ever finding love, yet he finds Louis and it changes everything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Valentine Heart

**Author's Note:**

> Hello peeps, some people die in this fic. So, if death isn't for you, leave now. Bye you sweet little marshmallows, hope the world is nice to you <3.
> 
> For everyone who's gonna read, good luck, thanks for reading, bless your soul, hope you enjoy it, recommend to friends if you enjoy it, leave comments & kudos if you want, thank you. You're all lovely <3.
> 
>  
> 
> The curse described in this is not real, I came up with the idea after watching “Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart” or “Jack Et La Mécanique du Cœur”. 
> 
>  
> 
> This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

The idea of spreading love on Valentines day came after the original curse. The spell being that anyone born on the day of would be doomed to never find love. I suppose people are afraid of such things, so they try to twist them around, pretend they don't exist.

Everyone tries to reverse the curse by spreading an exorbitant amount of love. Tossing around loving things can be nice, but the babies born on the day of Valentines will still bear the same wretched curse for the entire course of their lives with all but one impossible exception.

All because of a Valentine heart.

***

Harry was born on the day of Valentines, a terrible misfortune. His mother had anticipated labor the day before, and willed it to go away the day of. Destiny may not control every single thing, but some things must happen a certain way to maintain the delicate balance of the universe. Thus, the child was birthed on the day of Valentines, cursed to never find love.

His mother passed away with a heartbroken sigh, his father was never heard from again. Young Harry was tossed off to a little orphanage, hidden in the shadows of Cheshire.

"What happened to his Mother?" The old lady in charge of the orphanage asked when the small newborn was brought in, coddled in a thick blanket to keep him warm.

"She passed," A young nurse lightly whispered back, snow melting on her shoes, "His father buried her and never came back for him. Perhaps he was afraid."

The old lady chuckled, "Afraid of raising a child without a woman?"

The nurse smiled, teeth still chattering from the cold, "No, afraid he'd pass away as well. You see, the child was born on Valentines."

The old lady froze momentarily, "That doesn't mean you should abandon your child."

"His mother named him Harry," The nurse whispered, brushing snow off the child's blanket and handing him away, "If you'd let him keep that name."

"He can keep his name," The old lady smiled down at the chubby baby, "It's all he has, after all."

The old woman grew to love the little boy as her own. On his second birthday, she passed away. 

Young Harry woke beside the old woman as he did every morning. He sat silently beside his mother figure, waiting for her to wake. She did not. 

Harry sat beside her all day long, sucking on his empty milk bottle. He gazed at his only protector, knowing something must be wrong, but too young to comprehend it. 

At dawn the staff came in and figured out what had happened. The old lady's body was carried out and buried in the graveyard out back.

The doctors said she died due to heart failure. Her heart simply stopped beating. At first, no one understood how that was possible, till they remembered the boy. Upon searching, they figured out his birthday.

They returned to the room the old lady had been taken from and found the young boy still there.

He lay curled up on her pillow, fast asleep, still waiting for her when they woke him. The staff carried him outside and took him straight to the grave. Showed him the gravestone that read her name, "Lin Lee," and told him that's what happens when people love a Valentine heart.

Harry, only two years of age, didn't understand. But he cowered at the voices and knew his caretaker was gone.  He had a home in an orphange and now he did not. 

All because of his Valentine heart.

***

At five, Harry knew the other kids didn't like him. They taunted and teased him, not really knowing why they did it themselves.

You see, it was the staff who encouraged it, behind Harry's back. He was just a child, yet they feared him for the day on which he was born, not understanding that hearts like theirs could never love. To be harmed you must have the vulnerability of wanting to give, or any wanting at all.

At ten, Harry knew it was the staff who encouraged the negativity and decided to confront them. He angrily stormed up to them during a choosing date once. The barren parents who had come seeking children all watched the spectacle. Harry was scolded in front of everyone and told of his curse. The parents gasped and scurried to leave. If one kid is infected aren't they all? 

Curses don't spread, they're placed on a rare few. Stupidity and ignorance on the other hand spreads like a virus among all sorts of people.

At thirteen, a quiet girl who sat in the back of Harry's class passed away. She was absent for a week before the teacher told them. She died from heart failure, a terrible misfortune. She was just a child, how could this happen?

Harry shrunk downward in his seat, the cause of death so familiar. He knew of his two mothers, birth mother and Lin. He knew what had happened and who's fault it had been. This too was his doing, unintentional it may be, a girl had died.

All because of his Valentine heart.

***

At sixteen, Harry moved out of the orphanage. Actually, he hadn't really planned on moving out till eighteen, but he was thrown out. His scarce belongings were stuffed into a raggedy little bag and tossed out into the snow. He had no choice but to go. 

When Harry showed up from school and saw the bag outside with a fine layer of snow atop it, he wasn't surprised. He quietly took it and left the small orphanage behind.

The place didn't matter to him anyway. None of the other kids there liked him, and the staff acted indifferent although Harry knew what lie beneath their poker faces. They all knew of his birthday and celebrated everyone's except his, because he was cursed and they were not. As if it was his fault he was born on Valentines. As if he chose to be born on that day. As if he was not a victim of the curse, but they were. 

Harry trudged forward through the snow, brown curls hidden under a mundane hat, dressed in casual dark grays and blacks. His toes hurt from the cold and his gloves refused to retain any warmth as he slowly made his way forward into the lonely world.

Once Harry hit the somewhat busier areas, he relaxed. After all, he fit into society when he was out of that shabby orphanage. No one knew what day he was born. No one lashed out from fear. Perhaps leaving that orphanage would only lead to good. He could actually disappear into society.

Dark boots dragged through snow until Harry came across a cheap motel and rented himself a small room with the cash in his wallet. He had been working for a year and had grown a small fund with which he knew he could get by for a few days. The motel wasn't much more than a musty little run down building, but it was better than the frigid February air.

"How old are you?" The man renting out the room to Harry asked.

"Sixteen," Harry quietly replied.

"Hm," The man raised an eyebrow, "Look younger than that, lad. Stay out of trouble."

Harry smiled and nodded, grabbing his room key and sulking away. 

He knew he looked young. He had chubby rouged cheeks and large green eyes. He practically looked like a new born. Harry longed to grow out of his childish looks. He knew he wouldn't be able to make it anywhere in life looking like he did. 

Then, one day, he did grow out of his baby-like looks. Twenty-two when he graduated from college, Harry looked like the epitome of beauty.

Harry worked his way through college and with splendid marks acquired scholarships which helped a great deal. 

All this was great and Harry was smiling in the graduation pictures taken at the event, but his eyes were empty.

Behind that smile were trails of dead bodies of anyone who ever felt infatuation towards him. The color practically drained from the once brilliant green eyes, leaving them a dull grey for behind them was a long list of friends and strangers and a young boy Harry had thought he loved.

Harry had never actually reached out to the boy because he knew what his curse entailed. The boy fell himself, slowly over the span of two years.

Now, Harry stood there in all his six foot glory, long curls and gray eyes stone cold in the warm May air. He built himself up and thought he was strong, but knew what he wanted most of all.

To be loved and to be in love was his desire. Although impossible, he still did hope that somehow, maybe one day, it would all go away. But inside the darkest corners of his mind, honest voices whispered that silly wishes only hurt you more. He knew what he would get and what he would not. Love was something that would remain an eluding mystery.

All because of his Valentine Heart.

***

Harry moved into a flat in London within a week of graduation. He worked as a photographer in a large company and was paid decently. That's where he met him. 

He was short yet held a tone of authority in his voice. Harry knew who he was. He was the owner of the company. Louis Tomlinson, the rich and powerful man who built himself up from being a poor lonely orphan. He made himself into what Harry too desired.

It was only the second day of work when Louis called Harry down to his office. Harry was nervous when he walked in. Louis was absolutely beautiful and beautifully intimidating.

"Mr. Tomlinson?" Harry asked, knocking on the door to his office.

"Come in, Harold," Louis replied in a melodic voice so different than Harry's low bass.

Harry swung open the office door and stepped into the warm, dainty looking office full of dark, inviting colors, "You sent for me?"

"Yes," Louis said, not looking up from the file he was skimming through, "Have you heard of the Valentine curse?"

Harry panicked as thoughts of being fired ran through his head, "Yes, I have."

"Terrible, isn't it?" Louis sighed, "To kill the people who love you without even meaning to?"

Harry's face heated up and he was tempted to spin around. He wanted to walk out and never look back.

"Don't fret," Louis put the file down and smiled at Harry, blue eyes twinkling, "I only called you in here to talk."

"If you don't want me to work here, I'll leave," Harry replied, one hand on the door handle.

Louis shook his head, "I'm not firing you."

"Then?" Harry raised an eyebrow.

"I too have the same curse as you, sweet Harold," Louis sadly smiled, "I figured having someone to talk to about it would feel nice."

So, they talked about hardships they faced in life. Louis spoke of many loves that ended up passing. Harry on the other hand only had one person who he would say he perhaps loved. It made him wonder how someone could call every infatuation love.

Infatuation is not love, there is a difference between attraction and genuine love. Yet, Harry stayed quiet because he knew Louis could not freely talk about this with anyone else.

No on else could have ever understood the curse the way they did for they bore it. So, they sat and poured out their darkest secrets and deepest fears for they finally could.

All because of their Valentine hearts.

***

They talked like that for weeks, hidden behind the walls of Louis' office. It was a bud of friendship that would soon blossom. 

Perhaps it was his twinkling blue eyes, or the fact that he was so short his head only came to Harry's shoulders, whatever it was, Harry found himself slowly getting mesmerized by Louis. He knew deep down that this wouldn't work, Louis was his boss, after all. He also knew on the other hand that this wasn't love, and that was a good thing. Falling for a Valentine Heart was not something he ever intended to do.

Then, suddenly one day, Louis asked Harry out to lunch. It was a friendly gesture but Harry grinned too big at the offer, "Right now?" He asked from inside the dark room he was developing film in.

Louis laughed from outside the door, "It is lunch hour, isn't it?"

And so, Harry rode in Louis' car to an exquisite restaurant that he knew he couldn't afford. Louis asked for a private booth and then slide in right next to Harry instead of the opposite side.

"It's fancy," Harry said, nudging Louis with his shoulder, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say it was a date," He laughed, throwing his head back.

Louis joined in on the laugh but something flickered behind those blue eyes, "What if it is?"

Harry swallowed his laughter, eyes wide as he took in Louis' small smile, "Hilarious, Louis."

With a shake of his head, Louis whispered, "If I asked you out properly then could we go on one?"

"We've both got the Valentine curse," Harry whispered in a hurried tone, as if they weren't sat alone.

"That's the thing, Harry," Louis excitedly smiled, reaching out and grabbing Harry's hand in both of his smaller ones, "That's the point! I can finally ask someone out on my own without feeling like a murderer."

Harry stared at their hands with his eyebrows furrowed, "That makes no sense. Why would you want to be open to the chance of dying?" As warm as Louis' hand was, what he was saying just wasn't logical.

"We wouldn't die, Harold," Louis sighed, "Don't you know how to break the curse?"

"There is no way," Harry shook his head, frustrated tears brimming his eyes, "If there was, I would have done something, Louis."

"Are you angry?" Louis furrowed his brow, "Don't be, listen to me."

"No," Harry replied, pulling his hand out of Louis', "Don't lie to me."

"It's not a lie, sweet Harold," Louis desperately begged, "It's true, and meeting you was good fortune," He reached forward and clasped his fingers tightly around Harry's hand.

Harry shook his head again, eyes still glued to their hands.

"Just listen," Louis took a deep breath and spoke the words of the curse he had best memorized, "If two Valentine Hearts fall together, in harmony and love that lasts forever, their curse shall be lifted, and they shall be gifted, love they can accomplish from that point onward, never shall fall their lovers again downward."

Harry shivered at Louis' melodic voice practically singing out the old saying, "That's not true," He breathed out, "It's an old tale, everyone knows that."

"People here also say that the curse itself is an old tale," Louis pointed out, "But it's not, and neither is this part I've recited."

Harry simply shook his head again, "That sounds so simple, it can't possibly be the fix."

Louis leaned toward Harry and grabbed a hold of his other hand as well, "It isn't simple, they both need to fall. It is the fix though, the one and only fix."

"And if only one of them falls?" Harry asked, finally meeting Louis' eyes.

"I don't know," Louis spoke.

"Probably nothing, right?" Harry questioned, knowing that he already nurtured fondness for the man before him.

Louis bit his lip, looking confused, "A Valentine Heart doesn't die from love, it is the lover of the Valentine Heart that dies."

"I know that part," Harry lowly replied.

So, they sat there pondering their choices in silence as they ate. Louis tipped the waiter without counting the bills, too distracted to notice what he was doing. Harry's eyes flicked over Louis' face, recognizing his emotions in that one glance. Louis was just as conflicted as Harry was. But, Louis was the one who already made an offer, it was up to Harry to take it on.

Once they were settled back in Louis' car, Harry spoke, "I think," He took a deep breath, making a soft noise when he released it, "I think we should try to give it a go."

Louis' face instantly lit up, "Really, Harry?" His hands tightened around the steering wheel, excited eyes jumping between the road and Harry.

"As friends," Harry softly added, "We should call it friendship for now and see where it leads."

"I have to admit, Harry," Louis, so unapologetically voiced his feelings, "I'm already drawn to you, I have been since I first saw you at your graduation."

"G-graduation?" Harry stuttered.

"I was there to weed out the best people who applied to my company from your university," Louis waved his hand, "I do that to every place that sends in multiple offers."

Harry bashfully smiled, turning to look out the window, heart beating fast. And for the first time in ages, he didn't get disgusted by the thrumming of his Valentine heart.

Louis reached into Harry's lap and easily intwined their hands. Their fingers fit so well between each others. They both felt it and wondered the same thing, that perhaps this was always meant to be. Despite certain doubts, they thought perhaps this could last.

All because of their Valentine hearts.

***

Summer came and Louis took Harry on vacation to Australia.

They stayed in Sydney, exploring the city and running across beaches in sun they rarely saw in their hometown.

On a warm nights walk by the ocean, Harry found himself leaning on Louis' side, giggling uncontrollably to his lame jokes.

Despite Harry being taller, Louis would never mind when Harry leaned his weight on him. He'd simply throw his arm around Harry's waist and pull him in closer.

Their relationship wasn't exactly that of friends anymore, but it wasn't specifically anything else yet either. So, neither of them spoke a word, simply held their breaths and waited to see where they would be lead.

"I've got another psychology joke," Louis laughed.

"No," Harry giggled, "Spare me."

"What did the schizophrenic's friend to say to him?"

"Go to the doctor?" Harry guessed.

"Nothing," Louis shouted, "Because the friend didn't exist!"

"That's so bad!" Harry bent down and tossed a handful of sand at Louis before taking off, "Your jokes are worse than mine!"

Louis sprinted right after him, the ocean waves lapping closer as the tide began to rise. 

"Horrible, Louis!" Harry turned his head to look back and tripped, landing face first in the sand, "Damn it!"

"Gotcha now," Louis squealed, his voice shooting high as he pounced on top of Harry's back.

"Louis," Harry yelped, "Stop."

Louis playfully grabbed a handful of Harry's curls and yanked his head back, "Were you talking shit, Styles?"

Harry's eyes closed and he let out a gasp, "Louis!"

"Simple question," Louis leaned his mouth down to Harry's ears, "Speak up."

Shivers ran up Harry's spine at the way Louis whispered. His soft breaths floated across the skin of Harry's neck and it was all it took to make him lose his train of thought.

Neither one of them said anything for a moment. The cold ocean waves began lapping at Harry's feet, and he was caught between two worlds. Not in the literal sense but also in his mind. A part of him wished Louis would just kiss him, right then and there. Another part however, wanted to shove Louis off and run away, never to look back. 

Louis on the other hand did both. He pressed his lips against Harry's neck, quick and soft before rolling off him and taking off on the stretch of sand, "Your turn!"

They didn't talk about that moment, but it opened the door to soft touches and kisses, building sweet love among them even stronger.

They both had been staying in a hotel room with two beds for their vacation. That night, when they got to the hotel, Harry came out of the bathroom and crawled into Louis' bed, scooting backward so their backs were pressed together. Louis spun around and hugged him, laughing lightly into his hair. They fell asleep like that, curled up together.

From that night onward, they spent the days of their vacation pressed side by side. They curled into each others warmth and found themselves drawn to each other so innocently. Finally, they could reach toward someone who could reach back without any risk.

All because of their Valentine hearts.

***

Fall came through and they were separated. Louis left on a business trip which Harry could not attend due to his prior engagements in London. 

Harry had moved into Louis' penthouse at the end of the summer and found himself realizing how incredibly large it was, now, two months later. For now, he was alone in such a large home and he wondered how it must have felt for Louis to live here by himself all the time.

Harry lay in the large bed, mind wandering back to all their sweet little memories. The sweetest one of them all was when Louis finally let Harry crawl into his blanket, rather than making him grab the spare.

Of course they'd moved in together, but they were both wary of the situation, never really naming the relationship anything other than friendship. The moment when Louis finally let them curl into the same blanket again, like they had over their vacation, Harry had secretly rejoiced.

It was a slow process you see, to build a relationship built upon mutual trust and support. Although they both were beginning to fall toward each other, it was each others hearts they could not trust. If one of them fell first, or fell harder, they had no idea what the consequences would entail. Perhaps nothing, and perhaps...

The thing here to understand is that love is not something one can control. You cannot control who it is that you fall for. Whoever one falls for, whether it be a boy, or a girl or a person who is kept alive by the beating of a Valentine heart, love is never wrong. Love is blind, it is sudden, unprecedented and strong. It will tear apart your heart, whether you want it or not. Once in a lifetime at least, everyone feels the heart wrenching feeling of love that conquers every other infatuation they thought they once had.

Harry fell, a little deeper every day, for the beautiful beating of Louis' Valentine heart. All he could hope was that Louis was going at the same rate, for this one chance they had, to evict themselves of the curse was the only thing lighting hope behind Harry's once dulled eyes... or so he thought.

Harry didn't notice but the light was quickly transforming, not ignited by the hope, but by the rays shining out of Louis, as if he were the sun. It was tender touches and soft words that brought Harry back to life, eyes becoming brilliant green before winter even arrived.

"Your eyes are turning green, Harold," Louis whispered late one night, though it was dark at the moment and he couldn't clearly see.

Harry cuddled into Louis' side, "They used to be the same when I was a child. I don't remember when they went gray."

Louis whispered, "Sorry," Hand rubbing nonsensical patterns across Harry's back.

Harry grinned and threw his long leg across Louis' body, "They're green now, aren't they?"

"They'll stay that way forever," Louis turned his head and placed a kiss against Harry's temple. It was a sweet, simple gesture, comforting and promising.

Harry sighed and nuzzled into Louis' side even further, basking in the comfort of his hand tracing across his back. He knew Louis' promise was empty, just like every little thing they whispered just for a moment of solace. Despite their hopes that better days would come, they could not be sure, never sure at all.

All because of their Valentine hearts.

***

Winter came and engulfed them in a blur of frosted windows and leather gloves. Harry took Louis skating despite Louis' numerous requests not to. Most of their time was spent with Harry gently skating backwards, both of Louis' hands in his grasp as Louis bent his short legs in a desperate attempt to find balance.

"I thought you were an athlete?" Harry gently teased at the end of the day.

Louis pouted and threw his glove at Harry.

"Fight me, short one," Harry pushed forward, "Or can't you reach?"

"Harry," Louis warned, slipping off the rented skates, "I'll slice your finger off with this skate."

"You wouldn't, babe," Harry giggled back.

He didn't mean for the word to slip, but it did and Louis' expression switched. He lost his little edge and playfully nudged Harry's shoulder.

That moment brought on other pet names,  like "sweet cheeks" and "cupcake". Mainly it was jokes and gentle teasing that became a daily affair. But every now and then, they'd slip up in a normal conversation without really meaning to, till that too, became a daily affair.

Harry and Louis built themselves up carefully, but they built themselves up high. They thought they were going slow but slow in one aspect of the relationship doesn't mean slow in another.

If they had been going so slow, Louis wouldn't be wrapped up in Harry's large sweaters every night. Harry wouldn't be looking up recipes for every one of Louis' favorite foods to surprise him every weekend. And the biggest thing of all, they wouldn't be sleeping pressed together the same way every night. Louis' fingers wouldn't graze across Harry's back, and Harry's leg wouldn't rest upon Louis.

Harry didn't know a thing about what went on in Louis' mind, but he knew a bit about his own. The worst part of it all, he wasn't even scared. This infatuation was slowly growing beyond anything he had ever felt, yet he rejoiced in it, never regretting a thing.

Louis' blue eyes. Louis' soft hair. Louis' small hands. Louis' little waist. Louis' tiny ankles. Louis' thin lips. Louis' strong legs. 

The way Louis' laughed. The way Louis' rounded eyebrows would shoot up. The way Louis' squinty eyes would close shut. The way Louis talked. The way Louis walked. 

The way Louis was with Harry... So soft... So unguarded... So free. All of it. Louis was so Louis, and Harry was so infatuated, so caught up in him.

Louis. Louis. Louis. Louis. Louis. Louis. Louis. Louis. Louis. Louis. Louis. Louis. Louis. Louis. Louis. Louis. Louis. Louis. Louis. Louis. Louis. Louis. 

"What are you thinking about, sweet Harold?" Louis asked, pulling Harry out of his thoughts.

"Nothing," Harry shook his head, eyes trained on every single aspect of Louis.

Louis knew when Harry watched him he was studying him the way no one else had before. Louis also knew he himself enjoyed when Harry watched him. And though Harry picked up on the way Louis would keep glancing backward whenever he was staring, he never refrained. He still watched Louis like a hawk, entranced by every aspect of him. They both knew they were falling, but out of fear they said nothing.

All because of their Valentine hearts.

***

Before they knew it, it was the day of Harry's twenty-third birthday, and the day of Louis' twenty-sixth. The whole world was different. It was the day of Valentines and decorations were strung all across town. Little heart shaped pastries lined the windows of bakeries, rose petals were strewn here and there across the ground, lost from bouquets people had bought.

Louis had booked them a room in a ski resort in France, where they could get away from the city once again.

It was a great day Louis spent skiing down sharp slopes and coming back up on the ski lift. Harry would stay at the tops of the mountains, and cheer Louis on. Turns out Harry was as bad at skiing as Louis was at skating. 

They both were enjoying cups of hot chocolate when Louis suddenly stood up and fled. He walked out really fast, beckoning Harry to come as well.

Harry quickly followed, "Louis?" He called out, chasing Louis through the snow, "Where are you going? What happened?"

Harry's mind swirled with thoughts. He concluded it must be his own fault. He must have done something that upset Louis.

Louis stormed through the snow and away from the quaint cafe they had been sat in. He headed further away still, so far that Harry was wheezing trying to keep up behind him.

When Louis thought it right, he stopped and stared straight ahead, at snow covered evergreens. Hands tucked into his coat pockets, he waited to hear Harry's voice.

"Louis," Harry panted, right behind him, "What happened?"

"You," Louis spoke, "You happened. You've stolen my heart, Harold. Do you even realize?"

Harry froze behind Louis, boots buried in snow. His mind was racing at a million miles an hour, unsure of what he just heard. Did Louis really say that out loud?

"You've ruined me, Harold," Louis sighed, "From the moment I knew you were a Valentine heart, I forgot everything I taught myself about holding back. I never attempted to start anything with anyone I loved ever again. I knew it was impossible. With you, it's different. Even the love is stronger than anything I've ever felt. You're not just a pretty face. You are everything, sweet Harold."

Louis wasn't scared the way Harry was. Louis was brave, and Louis was confident. That's one of the qualities Harry so openly adored with all his heart.

Every scared step that Harry had ever taken, Louis had taken one of calculated caution. That is exactly what brought them to this moment.

Louis spun around and pulled out a small velvet box, silver gleaming in the light as he flipped it open.

"They are promise rings, Harry" Louis grinned, holding Harry's size out for him to see, "I wanted to officially start off our relationship with a promise, to tell you that I'll always be yours."

Harry gasped, stepping forward, eyes flicking between the rings and Louis' face. 

"I wanted to put it on you, if you don't mind," Louis continued, slipping his own on and beckoning Harry forward, "I promise, Harry, I'll always be yours. I promise, you'll be in my heart forever."

Louis held out his hand and Harry dragged his feet forward. This was so absurd, it felt like they were getting married in the middle of nowhere rather than just exchanging promise rings.

"Give me your hand," Louis' cooed when Harry was close enough.

Harry obliged, slipping his gloveless hands out of his cold pockets. He slipped his long fingers into Louis' gentle grasp, so sure of everything Louis did.

The world seemed to align and the words from the curse played themselves over and over again in Harry's mind. They continued over and over again in Louis' voice.

"If two Valentine Hearts fall together, in harmony and love that lasts forever, their curse shall be lifted, and they shall be gifted, love they can accomplish from that point onward, never shall fall their lovers again downward."

Small shaky fingers snaked the silver band up Harry's ring finger. As soon as it was on, Harry stepped forward and pulled Louis into himself. He kissed him chastely, sweetly and innocently, it held a promise of its own. That despite every doubt they had, Harry would never let anything get between them, not even their Valentine hearts.

"I love you," Harry breathed, hands shaking as he took Louis' face in them, "I love you, Louis."

Louis teared up without meaning to, "I love you too, sweet Harold. I love you, Harry."

It was those words that lit a fire in Harry's chest, "I love you more," he breathed. The pain built up inside of him and he thought he was going to burst from how much he loved Louis.

Louis smiled in response, nuzzling his head into Harry's chest, hands gently placed on Harry's large ones. They stood like that for a moment, far away from the muffled sounds of vacationers.

Then, there was a sudden change in the air, and realization dawned upon Louis. They'd admitted their feelings out loud and here they were, the curse must have had been lifted. 

Louis broke away from the embrace, "Oh my, Harry, do you think we did it?" his eyes lifted upward, "I felt something, didn't you? Do you think it's over?" He asked, slowly spinning around in a circle as though the world should look different, now, "Harry I'm ser-" 

When Louis turned back to Harry, his mouth stood agape, half his sentence dissipated. The site before him rendered him speechless.

Harry lay sprawled across the ground, having fell backward during the moments Louis wasn't looking.

Louis walked back to Harry, slowly and unsurely. What was going on? He loved Harry. He did. So dearly, so preciously, so truly he loved him.

"Harry?" Louis whispered, melodic voice cracking.

A fresh snow started up, as if to cover up the sins of the world. Falling between them, around them, on them, as Louis stood over Harry. The sin was so evident, the sin of the curse. There lie Harry on the frozen earth, all life drained from his limp form. 

Harry's hair lay in a halo around his perfect face, cheeks and nose still tinged red from the cold. His eyes still open, staring at the sky, as if he were simply making a snow angel, not becoming one himself. 

A sob rattled through Louis' body as he abruptly fell to his knees at Harry's side, "My sweet Harry," He choked out, "Harry, my love?" He took Harry's hand in his and cried. He cried and he cried.

This wasn't supposed to happen. Louis did love Harry more than anyone he had ever loved. Something was  terribly wrong with this picture. The curse had messed up and taken the wrong one, it should have been Louis lying on the ground. Louis loved Harry too much. So very much.

Louis' innocent heart made stone cold then soft again trembled in his chest, "At least your eyes are still green, Harry. They'll be green in heaven as well, sweet angel."

The snowfall grew heavier, wind swirling around them in cold bursts. Louis sat at Harry's side, motionless, until people found them and dragged him inside, not bothering to get Harry's body.

Louis' innocent heart had built up its walls for so long, but when Harry came knocking them down, he didn't bother putting up a fight at all. Yet, all he was left with was a broken heart. Harry lay still in the snow as a group of people dragged Louis' struggling form inside and out of the cold. The glint of the promise ring still on Harry's finger caught Louis' eye. The promises he'd made ran through his mind. He'd keep Harry always, safe and warm in his heart. Damn the cruel world, it was a place Harry could live on.

You see the only way to get rid of the curse was harmony and love, shared equally between two lovers. Louis had recited the verse wrong, planting false hope in both his chest and ever so gently in Harry's as well. That's why it was so impossible, for never is there a love that is shared equally among two lovers. Perhaps once in hundreds of billions of years such a love may exist, but realistically, never.

If two Valentine Hearts fall together, in harmony and love shared equally between the lovers, their curse shall be lifted, and they shall be gifted, love they can accomplish from that point onward, never shall fall their lovers again downward.

Harry loved and he loved and he loved Louis beyond the point Louis loved him back. Accidentally, he opened his shutters and let Louis in, where with his Valentine heart, destruction Louis began. It wasn't intentional, for Louis too sat broken.

Realization dawned upon Louis. This was his fault. It was all his fault. He didn't love Harry enough. He didn't and now Harry was gone, cold and empty his body lay only a little ways away from the stupid cafe everyone had pulled him into. 

Louis went back to the booth him and Harry had been sat at. Their cups still sat there, drinks gone cold. He sat on Harry's side, staring at the cup. Light chap-stick smudges rimmed the edge from where Harry had been sipping only moments before. And now he lay dead, body freezing over. 

As he sat, Louis blamed himself over and over again. For he knew it was his fault. All his fault. It always was, wasn't it? From the moment he saw Harry at the graduation, to the moment he slipped the ring onto his finger. It was all Louis' fault. He loved Harry so much, but it was never enough. It was all his fault.

All because of his Valentine heart.

***


End file.
